Bristled brush and methods of cleaning the same

ABSTRACT

A brush is provided that includes a handle portion further including a first end and an opposite second end, a plurality of tines extending outward from said handle first end, where the plurality of tines are spaced apart such that a gap is defined between each pair of adjacent tines, and a plurality of bristles extending generally radially outward from each of the plurality of tines.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The field of the invention relates generally to brushes and more particularly, to brushes that include a plurality of bristles, and methods of cleaning the same.

During use, at least some known brushes, such as hairbrushes, tend to pick up foreign matter, such as hair or debris. For example, with respect to hairbrushes, hair products, such as gel or hair spray, may increase the likelihood that foreign matter may be transferred from a person's hair to the brush during subsequent uses. To prevent fouling of the brush, bristles extending from the brush must be periodically cleaned, such as by running warm water over the bristles and/or by dragging a second brush or comb through the bristles of the first brush to loosen any foreign matter contained in the brush. However, depending on the relative spacing and density of the bristles extending from the brush, it may be difficult to drag such a cleaning element through the bristles. Moreover, over time, the bristles of the brush may become damaged as the cleaning element is dragged through the hairbrush. Another method of removing the foreign matter is by manually grasping the foreign matter in an attempt to pull the foreign matter from the hairbrush. Such a cleaning process may be time-consuming and may provide only limited effectiveness, depending on the size, orientation, and spacing of the bristles.

In addition, depending on the type of brush, removing foreign matter from the bristles may be difficult. For example, because of the orientation of the bristles, removing foreign matter from round brushes may be difficult. Specifically, during use hair tends to get wrapped around round brushes and may get twisted around a handle at the interface between the bristles and the handle.

To facilitate cleaning hairbrushes, at least some known hairbrushes include a cleaning element. For example, at least one known brush includes a cleaning element that is slidably coupled to the brush, such that when the cleaning element is slid down the length of the brush to facilitate removing foreign matter from the brush. Although such a cleaning element is effective in removing foreign matter from brushes, the bristles of such brushes may be displaced by the cleaning element, and over time the effectiveness of the cleaning element and/or brush may decrease. Other known brushes include a re-useable netting material that is removably coupled over the bristles. After the bristles have become fouled the netting is lifted from the bristles to facilitate removing contaminates from the bristles. However, repositioning the netting over the bristles may be a cumbersome and time consuming task.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, a brush is provided that includes a handle portion further including a first end and an opposite second end, a plurality of tines extending outward from said handle first end, where the plurality of tines are spaced apart such that a gap is defined between each pair of adjacent tines, and a plurality of bristles extending generally radially outward from each of the plurality of tines.

In another aspect, a method for cleaning a brush is provided. The method includes determining that foreign matter is contained within an array of bristles extending outward from a plurality of circumferentially-spaced tines, inserting a cleaning element between at least two of the circumferentially-spaced tines, and moving the cleaning element between the tines to facilitate removing foreign matter from the brush.

In yet another aspect, a system for hairbrush cleaning is provided. The system includes a cleaning element, and a hairbrush. The hairbrush further includes a handle portion that includes a first end and an opposite second end, a plurality of tines extending outward from said handle first end, and a plurality of bristles extending generally radially outward from each of the plurality of tines

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary brush that may be cleaned with a cleaning element.

FIG. 2 is an end view of brush shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary hairbrush 10 that may be easily cleaned using a cleaning element 12. FIG. 2 is an end view of hairbrush 10. In the exemplary embodiment, hairbrush 10 includes a body 14 that further includes a handle portion 16 and a tined portion 18. More specifically, in the exemplary embodiment, body 14 is unitarily constructed with handle portion 16 and tined portion 18 molded as a single unit. Alternatively, handle portion 16 may be fabricated independently from tined portion 18. In the exemplary embodiment, a plurality of bristles 20 extend generally radially outward from tined portion 18, as is described in more detail below.

In the exemplary embodiment, handle portion 16 includes a first end 22 and an opposite second end 24. In the exemplary embodiment, handle first end 22 comprises a frusto-conical portion 25 and an end surface 26. In the exemplary embodiment, handle portion 16 has a generally circular cross-sectional profile. Alternatively, handle portion 16 may have any shape that enables hairbrush 10 to function as described herein.

Tined portion 18 includes a plurality of circumferentially-spaced tines 28. Tined portion 18 extends generally co-axially outward from handle portion 18 and, in the exemplary embodiment, the plurality of tines 28 are oriented such that each tine 27 is spaced equi-distantly from each circumferentially-adjacent tine 27. Alternatively, the plurality of tines 28 may be arranged in any orientation that enables brush 10 to function as described herein. In the exemplary embodiment, tines 28 are not coupled together, but rather, each extends independently outward from end surface 26. Accordingly, tined portion 18 is known as a “vented” brush and as such, a plurality of gaps 29 are defined between each pair of circumferentially-adjacent tines 28. Moreover, in the exemplary embodiment, gaps 29 are interconnected through a center portion of tined portion 18. In the exemplary embodiment, each gap 29 is uniform and of length L. Alternatively, each gap 29 may be a different length than each adjacent gap.

In the exemplary embodiment, bristles 20 extends outward from each tine 27. More specifically, in the exemplary embodiment, bristles 20 each extend generally radially outward from each tine 27. Alternatively, bristles 20 may extend outward from tines 28 in any orientation that enables brush 10 to function as described herein. Moreover, in the exemplary embodiment, bristles 20 are oriented in clusters 30 spaced laterally across each tine 27 from end surface 26 towards an end 34 of each tine 27. More specifically, in the exemplary embodiment, each tine 27 includes a plurality of longitudinally-spaced clusters 30 of bristles 20. Alternatively, brush 10 does not include clusters 30 of bristles 20 but rather bristles are oriented in rows that extend generally longitudinally across each tine 27. Moreover, in the exemplary embodiment, bristles 20 are coupled radially to each tine 27 such that tines 28 are circumferentially identical within tined portion 18. Alternatively, bristles 20 may be secured to tines 28 in any pattern, orientation, or arrangement that enables hairbrush 10 to function as described herein.

In the exemplary embodiment, the cleaning element 12 is a rod-shaped structure having a maximum width W of less than the length L, allowing the cleaning element 12 to be inserted between two adjacent tines in the plurality of tines 28. The cleaning element 12 can then be translated from the position of insertion along the length of the tine portion 18 towards an end 34 of tine portion 18, enabling the user to clear any foreign matter that is present within the plurality of tines 28 or within the array of bristles 20. Alternatively, the cleaning element is a structure that allows the user to grip the cleaning element and of a size to allow the user to insert the cleaning element 12 in between two tines in the plurality of tines 28 at any position along tine portion 18, for example, a rod, a comb or a hair pick.

Exemplary embodiments of hairbrushes including tines and cleaning elements are described in detail above. The above-described hairbrushes, and methods of cleaning enable a hairbrush to be easily cleaned of foreign matter without the potential of damage to the bristles. More specifically, the hairbrush 10 and method facilitate cleaning the hairbrush 10 by slidably translating a cleaning element 12 between the tines of a plurality of tines 28, thereby removing foreign matter held against the cleaning element 12 after the cleaning element 12 has been translated at least partially along the length between each tine of the plurality of tines 28. As a result, the hairbrush 10 can be reliably and efficiently cleaned without damage or disarrangement of the individual bristles or the cluster 30 of bristles.

Exemplary embodiments of an apparatus and method for cleaning a hairbrush are described above in detail. The apparatus and method are not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, but rather, components of the apparatus and/or steps of the method may be utilized independently and separately from other components and/or steps described herein. Additionally, while hairbrush 10 is described herein as a brush for hair, it is understood that hair brush 10 may be any brush having spaced tines that would facilitate cleaning as described herein, such as a lint brush, a cleaning brush, a scrub brush or a currycomb. Further, the described apparatus components and/or method steps can also be defined in, or used in combination with, other apparatus and/or methods, and are not limited to practice with only the apparatus and method as described herein.

While the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments of a hairbrush, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims. 

1. A hairbrush comprising: a handle portion comprising a first end and an opposite second end; a plurality of tines extending outward from said handle first end, said plurality of tines spaced apart such that a gap is defined between each pair of adjacent tines; and a plurality of bristles extending generally radially outward from each of said plurality of tines.
 2. A brush in accordance with claim 1, wherein said handle portion comprises a cylindrically-shaped body.
 3. A brush in accordance with claim 1, wherein said handle first end is substantially planar.
 4. A brush in accordance with claim 3, wherein said plurality of tines are circumferentially spaced about said handle first end.
 5. A brush in accordance with claim 1, wherein said plurality of bristles are oriented in at least one row that extends generally longitudinally across each of the said plurality of tines.
 6. A brush in accordance with claim 1, wherein the gap is sized to enable a cleaning element to be inserted between each said pair of circumferentially-adjacent tines.
 7. A brush in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of tines is cylindrically shaped.
 8. A brush in accordance with claim 1, wherein said handle portion and said plurality of tines are unitarily constructed.
 9. A method for cleaning a brush, said method comprising: determining that foreign matter is contained within an array of bristles extending outward from a plurality of circumferentially-spaced tines; inserting a cleaning element between at least two of the circumferentially-spaced tines; and moving the cleaning element between the tines to facilitate removing foreign matter from the brush.
 10. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein moving the cleaning element between the tines further comprises withdrawing the cleaning element from the brush to further facilitate removing foreign matter from the brush.
 11. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein inserting a cleaning element between at least two of the circumferentially-spaced tines further comprises insert a cleaning element between at least two of the circumferentially-spaced tines that extend generally longitudinally from a handle of the brush.
 12. A system for hairbrush cleaning, comprising: a cleaning element; and a hairbrush further comprising: a handle portion comprising a first end and an opposite second end; a plurality of tines extending outward from said handle first end; and a plurality of bristles that extends generally radially outward from each of said plurality of tines, said plurality of tines spaced apart such that a gap is defined between each pair of adjacent tines.
 13. A system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said cleaning element is an elongated member of a width capable of being slidably engaged between two adjacent tines in the said plurality of tines.
 14. A system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said handle portion comprises a cylindrically-shaped body.
 15. A system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said handle first end is substantially planar.
 16. A system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said plurality of tines are circumferentially spaced about said handle first end.
 17. A system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said plurality of bristles are oriented in at least one row that extends generally longitudinally across each of said plurality of tines.
 18. A system in accordance with claim 12, wherein the gap is sized to enable a cleaning element to be inserted between each said pair of circumferentially-adjacent tines.
 19. A system in accordance with claim 12, wherein each of said plurality of tines is cylindrically shaped.
 20. A system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said handle portion and said plurality of tines are of unitarily constructed. 